


Service with a Smile

by SomeCereals



Category: Twisted-Wonderland (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Gen, Pining, Self Insert, aria-solit, writing raffle prize
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-18
Updated: 2020-09-18
Packaged: 2021-03-07 19:14:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,864
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26532691
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SomeCereals/pseuds/SomeCereals
Summary: Jade, and the customer he cherishes so.He lives to serve, and always with a smile on his face.
Relationships: Jade Leech/Reader
Comments: 17
Kudos: 139





	Service with a Smile

**Author's Note:**

> A piece written as a prize for one of my writing raffle winners, @aria-solit on Tumblr.
> 
> It's long since overdue. I had to revise this at least 4 or 5 times before I was satisfied with it. Please enjoy!

_ "I’m heading home.” _

If Jade was surprised at your announcement, you would be hard-pressed to find an indication of it on his face. He maintained his impeccable posture, head up, back straight, and shoulders squared. His heterochromatic eyes regarded you--carefully.

“Is that so?” he said slowly, lips curving into a polite smile.

So poised, so handsome.

The perfect gentleman.

“Yes.”

“I am happy for you, Ramshackle Prefect-san. It seems that even that bird-brained headmaster of ours is able to do  _ something _ right once in a blue moon.”

_ Clink. _

Jade set down a glass before you--the contents cerulean, dashed with ice cubes, a skewered slice of lemon and pitted cherries, and a sprig of mint. A  _ Blue Lagoon. _

“I suppose the fact that you are sharing this with me means that you may be departing in the near future?”

“Yeah...I’m leaving in about a week,” you replied with a bitter laugh, “so I’m making my rounds and saying my farewells while I still can.”

“What a shame it is to see you go so suddenly,” Jade remarked. “You must have an absurd amount of cleaning and packing to do in such a short span of time.”

“There’s actually not much,” you confessed, a fragile smile on your face. “I came to Twisted Wonderland with nothing but the clothes on my back, after all.”

“Ah, so you did. What a disturbance you and Grim-san caused back then. I do believe it was Azul and Riddle-san that quelled that fiery frenzy at the entrance ceremony.”

“It  _ was _ ,” you agreed, perking up at the chaotic memory. “I’ve had a lot of fun times here with everyone--especially with you. Hanging out at the lounge, swimming in the sea, Beans Day...even that time I was locked in Scarabia--and Octavinelle came to my rescue. I’ll always keep those experiences close to my heart.”

Your chest swelled up with warmth, nostalgia tickling your entire body.

You expected Jade to join you in reminiscing more--but to your surprise, he kept tight-lipped. His gaze was cool and controlled. Almost  _ icy _ , actually, despite his smile.

“...I see,” Jade mused. “However, I am certain that you must hold cherished memories of your home world as well. You must miss it terribly.”

“Well, I  _ do _ but…when I’m back there, I’m going to miss  _ this _ world--I’m going to miss Ace, Deuce, Grim...and  _ you _ .”

A heartbeat passed before Jade spoke again, punctuated by a chuckle.

“Fufu. I am honored to have such a distinction.”

There was no trace of sadness upon his face--only a smile. That  _ darn _ smile of his.

Your stomach lurched.

“Um…! I…”

You opened your mouth--you wanted to say  _ more _ to him, but you didn’t quite know  _ what.  _ That he was important to you? That you considered him to be your best friend? That you had hoped to be something  _ more _ than that? Would Jade laugh at you for even  _ suggesting _ such a thing?

“My, my. You should not do such things,” Jade chided, gently tapping a finger on your chin. “Leaving your jaw agape like that, fufu. It is rather…unbecoming.” he pauses, sucking in a breath through his teeth. “Some might say that you would give off the wrong impression.”

Your mouth clamped shut. Embarrassment colored your cheeks. 

“S-Sorry, I--”

“Excuse me? I’m ready to order,” called a student seated at another table. He waved his arm, hailing Jade down.

And the moment is gone.

“Do excuse me. It seems that I am needed by the other customers,” Jade apologized with a bow. He glanced down at your  _ Blue Lagoon _ , gesturing toward it. “Ah--but before I go, I must recommend that you partake before your beverage gets watered down.”

He said nothing more than that before turning on his heel and briskly walking off.

His smile may as well have been angular ice, digging into you, prickling deep and drawing blood. Crimson blossoming upon your skin. Words should not hurt you  _ that _ much--or rather, his  _ lack _ of words should not.

But it still  _ did _ , regardless of what you told yourself.

* * *

You didn’t know whether to laugh or to cry when Jade entered the Mirror Chamber. You couldn’t even hold yourself back from hurtling into him and burying your face in his chest, choking back tears.

His arms remained by his sides--yet he allowed you to stay, even as you soaked his jacket and clung to him like a trembling child.

“You...You came,” you breathed, your voice barely audible as you gaze up--adoringly so--at him. Eyes wet.

“But of course.” He offered his usual composed smile. “It is simply proper etiquette to see an acquaintance off on their day of departure, is it not?”

_ Acquaintance. _

Your heart sank, sank, sank--to the depths of the seat. Perhaps even lower, if that was possible.

“R-Right,” you mumbled, drawing back. Your hands found their way to the handle of the small suitcase, containing all of your belongings--and all of the going-away presents from your friends. The ghost camera, a striped ribbon, a deck of cards, a chick keychain, a small cactus, a wooden apple carving, a small painting of a horned youth...

You eyed Jade’s hands.

Empty.

_ Ah, of course. _ Why had you gotten your hopes up? Again, your cheeks began to burn and your eyes watered. _ Idiot, idiot. It’s clear that he doesn’t feel the same. Stop trying to push something that will never happen. _

“Oya, do not make such a face,” Jade sighed, running a hand along your head and smoothing your hair back. “Today is such a momentous occasion--it is your homecoming, my dear. You should be rejoicing.”

“R-Right…” you wiped your tears away and forced a smile. “Sorry, I...I don’t know what’s wrong with me…”

“...Cry all you like,” he advised softly. “It is only natural to be feeling sentimental at moments such as these.”

You sniffled. “I’ll miss the Mostro Lounge. I’ll miss the  _ Blue Lagoons _ I always have there. I’ll miss  _ you _ . I don’t know if I really  _ want  _ to go.”

“You  _ must. _ ”

His voice was cold, hard. Freezing you over, entirely--frost encasing your heart and ice needles clawing up your throat. A constrictive chill consumed you.

You squeezed a fist over your chest. Your other hand tightened along the handle of your suitcase, and you glanced at the mirror portal that awaited you.

Beyond that glass, your friends and family were waiting. They would, no doubt, welcome you with open arms. Holding you close to them with crushing embraces, enveloping you in a warmth.

You looked back to Jade--the one urging you to depart, all cold shoulder and cool composure.

You set your jaw and swallowed hard.

Your tears had dried.

“Good-bye then, Jade,” you whispered. Even in your own ears, your message sounded sharp and somewhat bitter, like medicine had been forced down your throat.

“Farewell, (Y/N). I wish you nothing but the best.”

And his smile did not falter.

Not once.

You could feel the heat of his gaze with each and every step that you took toward the mirror--but you did not cave into the urge to look back, nor did you hesitate when you passed through. Jade would be but a distant memory, the winter giving way to a newfound spring.

Your story ended where it had started--in that fated Mirror Chamber.

* * *

Evening fell upon Twisted Wonderland, upon the Octavinelle dormitory. The moon and the stars did not penetrate deep into the sea, and the only thing that kept Jade comfort in the night was the shine of silverware and the cut of glasses--and his brother, lounging in a booth, both legs propped up on a table, crossed.

_ Clink. _

_ Clink. _

_ Clink. _

Glass after glass was polished by Jade’s deft hand. He lined them up in rows, columns. Weaving an intricate, methodical dance.

“...Ne, Jade,” Floyd piped up, cutting through the stillness of the lounge.

“Yes, Floyd?” Jade responded, not bothering to cast so much as a glance at his twin. He was fixated on his face upon the curve of a spoon. Inverted.

“...Was that really the right thing to do? Lettin’ the little shrimp head home without so much as a squeeze--”

“Fufufu. Well, then, dear brother of mine, let me ask you this.” Jade set the spoon down. “Do you shed tears when you part ways with a customer?”

A pause.

“No, you do not,” Jade declares, answering his own rhetorical question. “It is in the best interests of both parties to act with grace and dignity. Once the business transaction is complete, there is nothing more to their relationship.”

“Eeeeh, seriously? You’re thinkin’ of it like  _ that _ ?” Floyd burrowed his brow. “But you’re never gonna see the little shrimp again, Jade.”

“Customers frequently come and go. There is no guarantee of their return. Why concern myself with such a trivial thing?”

Floyd let out a low whistle. “Uwaaah, Jade. You’re  _ sooo  _ mean.”

“I know.”

He chuckled to himself.

“However, I have no regrets in severing ties with them in such a manner,” Jade insisted calmly. “...After all, it would only hurt them more if I were to send them off with sentimentality in tow.”

“That’s dumb.”

“Call it what you like.”

“That’s  _ why _ I’m callin’ it dumb.” Floyd shifted, the brim of his hat nearly concealing his eyes. “Weren’t you guys friends?”

“Customers are not your friends, nor your family,” Jade chided. In the emptiness of the lounge, his voice seemed to echo and settle back on his shoulders. “A distinction must be made, a line drawn in the sand--lest your heart be shattered.”

“Eeeh.” A brief, pensive look flickered across Floyd’s face, but he ultimately did not manage much more than a shrug. “Whatever you say. Jade knows what’s best~”   


“Fufufu. Indeed.”

On the surface of the spoon he had set down earlier, his smile was flipped.

Forming a frown.

* * *

Another moon, and Jade was hard at work.

Perched over his desk, he ran lines of ink through dish after dish, drink after drink. Out with the old and in with the new for the next iteration of the Mostro Lounge menu. Only the most popular items need to stay.

He leapt to the next section,  _ Beverages _ , running a gloved finger down the list of offerings. His pen hovers in his other hand, waiting to claim its next victim.

_ Seaweed Shake, Flounder’s Blue, Sea Witch’s Brew, Sebastian Red, Fathoms Below (with or without Sea Foam), Mermaid’s Tears... _

He froze at the next item.

A familiar warmth pooled in the pit of his stomach, mixing with the unease that was already there. It formed a rather foul concoction, a brew of pleasant memories, coupled with a bittersweet aftertaste.

The realization slowly sank in--you were truly  _ gone  _ now.

Jade pursed his lips, biting back a silent curse. His eyes quivered, threatening to spill over with liquid. And his traitorous heart--how it hammered so, at the frantic pace of a hummingbird.

_ Service with a smile, _ he reminded himself.

Jade brought his pen down, driving a line through  _ Blue Lagoon _ .

But no longer was he smiling.

**Author's Note:**

> If you enjoyed reading this piece, please check out my Twisted Wonderland writing blog and consider sending in a request of your own (though currently I am not accepting new requests)! I usually only post my longer pieces to AO3 (1000+ words), but you can find a lot of my shorter one shots on the blog.
> 
> Link is: https://raven-at-the-writing-desk.tumblr.com/
> 
> Thank you for your time~


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